Method of cleaning lubricating waste or packing



Feb. 7, 1933. L. s. WILBUR 1,896,267

MTHOD 0F CLEANING LUBRICATING WASTE OR PACKING Filed April 22, 1929 2 sheets-sheep 1 Feb. 7, 1933. l.. s. WILBUR 1,896,267

METHOD oF CLEANING LUBEICATING WASTE 0R PACKING Filed April 22, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /Jggw 5 Z W ff@ railroad cars.

Patented Feb. 7, 1933 LAWRENCE s. WILBUR, oInvANsroN, ILL'INoIs ','METHOD or CLEANING LUBRIcArING WASTE on PACKING j Application led'llpril 22, '1929. Serial No. 356,972.

Y This invention relates to the'cleaning of Vlubricating waste, so that the waste can be used over again for Alubricating the bearings of machinery, such as thestufting boxes on Generally stated,the object of the invention is to provide-al novel and'impro-ved meth- 'od and apparatus whereby the dirt is ref moved from the lubricating waste, in a comn 'paratively inexpensive manner, and whereby 'the water is also removed, thus not only ,'cleaning, but at the same time dehydrating, .the lubricating waste, and thereby rendering it more suitable forvfurther use.

It is also an object to provide certain details and features of construction and combinations and method steps tending to increase the general efficiency and the desirability Vof a method and apparatus of this particular character.

To the foregoing and other useful ends, the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a waste cleaning apparatus embodying the principles of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on line 2--2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of a portion of said machine.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional View showing a different form of the invention.

As thus illustrated, the invention comprises a hopper like tank 1 formed of metal or other suitable material, with a square rectangular tank 2 at one end thereof. The tank 2 may rest on the floor, and the other end of the structure may be supported by legs 3 suitably secured thereto, as shown.

In the upper portion of the hopper like re-` ceptacle 1 there is a screen 4 adapted to receive the waste 5 therein. This screen is mounted on a transverse rock shaft 6, oper- 5 ated by a crank handle 7 and gearing 8 for tilting the screen 4 into upright position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Another screen 9 is mounted in position as shown, adapted to receive the waste from the screen 4 when the latter is tilted intov upright position, after the waste has been washed and cleaned. f

`Air pipes 10 are arranged longitudinally 1n the upper portion of the tank 1, as shown,

to blow air into the oil from the air jet openings 11 disposed along the sides of the pipes. Heating pipes 12 yare also arranged in the tank 1, as shown, in order that steam or hot waterl may be em of thetank.

veyor 13 is longitudinallyl disposed therein, and arranged to discharge the dirt and sediment that accumulates vat thejbottom of the rotated by any suitable-,or ydesired means.

In operation, the dirty and more or less water-soakedlubricating waste 5k is placed in the screen 4 as shown.V Oil 18 is employed in Athe two tanks, as shown, in order to' wash lout the water in the wate, and also a certain amount of the dirty oil, aswell as the dirt and other foreign substance which may have accumulated ,in the waste. This Yoily 18 maybe some lighter oil that will cut the lubricating oil ofthe waste, or it may bean oil very much like the lubricating oil itself. In any event, the body of oillin'thel two tanks is heated by the heating pipes 12 to the desired or required temperature, 'say from 17() to 200o Fahrenheit, depending vsomewhat upon conditions.

Air is. then forced inrthrough the pipes 10 and blown into the bodyr of oil in the tank 1 of the apparatus. vThis air agitates the bodyof oil and bubbles up through` the waste. in the screen 4, thus washing'out the sandl andvcin'- ders and other foreign substance in th eavaste, causing the dirt and foreign substance to be precipitated to the bottom of the; tank.- The air also servest-o dehydrate the waste, as it evaporates off anywater that may have ac-v cumulated in the waste. `When lthe waste is sufficiently f cleaned* and fis sufficiently .free

ployed to heat the contents At the bottom of the tank 1, a screwco-nf Y from water, it is tilted up and dumped into the screen 9, as previously explained.

Another advantage of this apparatus and method is the freedom from lint with which the cleaned waste is discharged from the apparatus. New waste carries with it a considerable amount of lint, and the latter` is objectionable in various ways, as it follows the lubricating oil and develops heat in the bearings. However, when the cleaned and dehy-y drated lubricating waste is discharged from the apparatus shown and described, it is practically free from lint, as well as being free from dirt and water.

Of course, when the cleaned and dehydrated lubricating waste is discharged from the apparatus, it may then need some replenishment of the lubricating oil therein, and this can easily be done in the usual manner. However, it will require much lessk oil' and much less time to replenish the lubricating oil in waste of this kind than it would with entirely new and unused waste, inasmuch as the latter is dry when prepared, whereas this salvaged or reclaimed waste carries with it a certain percentage of lubricating oil when it is discharged from the apparatus. It is even possible, of course, that by using a lubricating oil in the tanks, and by regulating the temperature of the heating means accordingly, the water and dirt can be taken out of the dirty waste in a manner to leave it sufficiently saturated with lubricating `oil when it is discharged from the apparatus. This will all depend, more or less, of course, upon the condition of the dirty waste to be cleaned.

In Fig. 4, the construction is similar to that shown in Fig. 2, but in this case the supporting screens 19 are arranged to sag down between the air pipes 20 in the manner shown, so that the air will be injected directly into the lower portions of the masses of waste 21 supported on these screens.

In either form of the invention, however,

1 air is blown into the body of liquid to agitate the liquid and wash out the dirt and other foreign substance from the waste, Aas well as to dehydrate the waste.

Of course, the invention is not limited to oil, as any hydrocarbon might be usedor some other liquid, depending upon the character Vof the product desired, so far as the method or process is concerned.

Furthermore, after the waste has been washed out in the manner specified, it can clean lubricating oil can then be added, the process and method insuring enough oil left in the waste to expedite the soaking in of the fresh oil.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The method of cleaning lubricating waste, which comprises supporting the dirty waste in the upper portion of av body of oil or hydrocarbon, leaving the lower portion of said liquid clear, bubbling air up through the upper portion of the liquid and said waste, thus agitating the upper portion of the liquid andv causing the precipitation of the dirt and foreign substance from the waste into the clear unagitated lower portion of said body of liquid, and removing the precipitateddirt from the unagitated bottom ofV sai'dair to dehydrate the waste while passing '1 upwardly through the latter.

. Specification signed this 17th day of April,

LAWRENCE S. WILBUR.

then be put through a centrifugal wringer withany residual dirty oil therein to the extent desired. After that, the waste can then be put through a second washing or cleaning apparatus, exactly like the one shown and described, but having a somewhat lighter oil therein, as for example, a gas oil for in eect rinsing the waste clean. After that, the waste can then be put through a centrifugal wringer again, and the desired quantity of 

